Edward Ladd Sr.
Colonel Edward Townsend Ladd Sr., USAF (ret.), age 88, departed to join the Lord on Feb. 14, 2024, in Union City.
In 1935, he was born to the late Rayford and Elizabeth Whipple Ladd on his great-grandparent’s farm on Townsend Road in Fulton County, Ky. At 3 years old, the family moved to a farm in Crystal for the schools there and in nearby Woodland. After moving to Union City in 1952, he played for Union City High School in the first football game that he ever saw. He graduated there in 1953. He and his parents were members of First Baptist Church of Union City.
In the same year, he joined the Army National Guard and attended Memphis State on a football scholarship and later a Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship. At Memphis, he served as Vice-President of the freshman class and Kappa Alpha Order, and President of the senior class. Also during college, he chaired the first successful campaign for university status and served as an assistant to Robert Everett’s campaign for Congress. In 1957, he graduated and was commissioned in the Air Force.
Early in his Air Force career, he served as an Agent with the Office of Special Investigations and managed several support organizations. He transitioned to flying where he was a Command Pilot in the C-123 and C-130. His assignments spanned Tactical Airlift Command, Military Airlift Command and Special Operations Air Commandos. His deployments included Vietnam, contingencies in Europe and Africa, and readiness during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During C-130 all-weather capability testing and fielding, he served as test pilot and as Director of Material/Logistics. Across his 28 year career, he held leadership positions in operations, training, maintenance and finally retired in 1982 as the Base Commander of Little Rock Air Force Base.
After the Air Force, he served as President and General Manager of the Little Rock Air Force Federal Credit Union. In 1986, he returned home to Union City and led the Goodyear Employees Credit Union for several years. He also served on the board of directors for the Arkansas and Tennessee Credit Union Leagues.
In retirement, he developed a love and proficiency for pecan cultivation and grafted over 25 pecan varieties spread across hundreds of pecan trees; he shared his enthusiasm with many local pecan growers. He supported many philanthropies and held membership in the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
He is survived by Nancy with many years of friendship; his three sons, Edward Jr., Edward Thomas and James. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Elizabeth; and son, Charles. He has nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren across Texas, Okla-homa, Tennessee, Alabama and California.
Services will be held at White-Ranson Funeral home on Saturday, Feb. 24, with visitation at 10 a.m. and the funeral service at 11 a.m.. The graveside service at Mount Olive Cemetery will follow the funeral service. Condolences can be made at www.white-ranson.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Mount Olive Cemetery Association, 3991 Crystal Road, or First Baptist Church of Union City (www.fbcuc.com).
Published in The Messenger 2.21.23